What is the Role of Cysteine Cathepsins in Cancer?
Cysteine cathepsins are implicated in cancer progression through their ability to degrade extracellular matrix (ECM) components, which facilitates tumor invasion and metastasis. These enzymes also contribute to the activation of other proteases, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and evasion of apoptosis. Overexpression and increased activity of cysteine cathepsins have been observed in various types of cancers, making them potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis.
